Venice Biennale jury named

La Biennale di Venezia has named the five-person jury for Biennale Arte 2026, with Brazilian curator Solange Oliveira Farkas serving as president. (labiennale.org) The other jurors are Zoe Butt, Elvira Dyangani Ose, Marta Kuzma, and Giovanna Zapperi, according to the Biennale’s announcement on April 22. The board approved the jury after a selection by curator Koyo Kouoh. (labiennale.org) The jury will decide the Golden Lion for best national participation, the Golden Lion for a participant in the international exhibition, the Silver Lion for a promising young participant, and possible special mentions. The awards ceremony is scheduled for Saturday, May 9, 2026, in Venice. (labiennale.org) Biennale Arte 2026 is the 61st International Art Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia, and it will run from May 9 to November 22, 2026. The preview days are set for May 6, 7, and 8 at the Giardini, the Arsenale, and other sites across Venice. (labiennale.org) This year’s edition carries the title *In Minor Keys* and is proceeding with the full support of Koyo Kouoh’s family after her death earlier in 2026. La Biennale said Kouoh had already developed the exhibition concept before she died. (labiennale.org, artnews.com) The jury announcement fixes one of the Biennale’s main public deadlines before the exhibition opens. It also formalizes who will judge a show that La Biennale says includes 110 invited participants from multiple geographies and artist-led organizations. (labiennale.org, labiennale.org) Farkas is the founder and artistic director of Associação Cultural Videobrasil, and ARTnews noted that she led the Videobrasil Biennial in São Paulo from 1983 until 2004. The same report described the 2026 panel as the group that will decide the Golden Lions for this edition. (labiennale.org, artnews.com) The Biennale had already begun laying out the 2026 exhibition in February, when it announced the title, dates, and invited artists. The jury now sets the final layer of official oversight before the first awards are handed out on opening day. (labiennale.org, labiennale.org)